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Highlights

  • MX1 has secured AUD 4.4m Industry Growth Program grant for Head CT ambulance trials
  • Prototype development and ambulance integration planned over a two-year funding period
  • The company has appointed South Australian Ambulance Service and Royal Adelaide Hospital as trial partners

Micro-X Limited (ASX:MX1) is an Australian hi-tech company developing X-ray products using proprietary cold cathode carbon nanotube emitter technology. The company operates a vertically integrated design and production facility in Adelaide and has a commercial team in Seattle, USA. Its product portfolio covers healthcare, military, veterinary, and security markets, including mobile digital radiology, airport security systems, and CT imaging devices for stroke diagnosis

MX1 has announced that it has been awarded a AUD 4.4 million grant under the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program. The funding will be used to advance the company’s development and trials of the Head CT device, which is being designed for use in a standard ambulance.

The contract confirming the grant terms and conditions is in the process of being finalised and is expected to be executed shortly.

Funding Allocation and Trial Scope

The Industry Growth Program funding, spread over two years, will support the manufacturing of the first ambulance-ready Head CT prototype. A South Australian ambulance will be fitted with the device, followed by real-world patient imaging and workflow testing. The project will act as a global case study, providing data to support regulatory submissions for medical use in ambulances.

Micro-X will collaborate with the South Australian Ambulance Service (SAAS), Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) Stroke Unit, and neurologist Professor Timothy Kleinig to develop protocols for both ambulance paramedics and hospital physicians. A training package for paramedics will be created in partnership with Adelaide University.

Subject to clinical and ethics approvals, the second phase will involve a full patient imaging trial, where stroke patients transported in the stroke ambulance will undergo imaging. Data collected will be used in a reader study to assess clinical acceptance of images captured using the Head CT device. The third phase will compile results, including a technical file and clinical evaluation report, for regulatory submissions.

Management Commentary

Micro-X Chief Executive Officer Kingsley Hall stated:
“This award of $4.4 million in non-dilutive funding, is a significant step towards getting our stroke diagnosis device into ambulances around the world. Stroke is the second leading cause of death globally and we know that time to treatment is pivotal - we must find ways to get patients diagnosed and treated faster. This award will see us undertake a world-first standard ambulance stroke patient imaging trial, in partnership with the South Australian Ambulance Service. We are proud to lead this innovation with the Australian Stroke Alliance and deliver a new global standard in emergency stroke care.”

Background on Head CT Development

In addition to the Industry Growth Program funding, Micro-X previously received AUD 8 million from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund. The Head CT device weighs approximately 70kg, a fraction of conventional CT scanners, making it suitable for integration into ambulances and retrieval aircraft.

The device uses Micro-X’s patented NEX Technology X-ray tubes arranged in a curved array, offering potential benefits such as dose efficiency and reduced system costs. Current test benches are being built for hospital-based imaging trials expected to begin in 2025, subject to ethics approval.

Micro-X stated that the Head CT project aims to improve access to diagnostic equipment for stroke patients, with potential applications across metropolitan and rural areas.

MX1 shares were trading 6.33% higher at AUD 0.084 per share at the time of writing on 23 September 2025.